Wednesday Herald-Citizen The Daily Newspaper of the Upper Cumberland 113th Year — No. 295 Cookeville, Tennessee, December 16, 2015 16 Pages — 2 Sections • 50¢ Weather White County toddler recovers from brain injury Tonight Tomorrow By LINDSAY McREYNOLDS is just a few minutes from the hooked to a ventilator. “Once we HERALD-CITIZEN Staff Upper Cumberland Regional Air- were told they thought she would port. “She was unconscious the survive, we knew whatever hap- WHITE COUNTY — Seven whole time. pens, she’s going to come home.” months ago, then 18-month-old “The initial CT showed there had After that, Jody and Alanna just 48º 51º Brynna Webster was running in been some damage,” Alanna said. took Brynna’s recovery day by day. and out of the White County home “During the middle of the night, “When we left Erlanger, she was Complete forecast, Page 2 where she and her family had just her blood pressure bottomed out. essentially a 25-pound newborn,” moved from Murfreesboro when She was without oxygen for quite Alanna said. “She could turn her she apparently climbed onto a large some time. I think that’s when a lot head.” furniture dolly, pulling it over onto of the brain injury occurred. She Following Brynna’s four-week Sports herself. had a skull fracture.” stay in Erlanger, she spent another “I heard her scream, and then I Jody recalled that in the first few six weeks at the Children’s Hospi- didn’t hear anything,” mother weeks following Brynna’s acci- tal in Atlanta for rehabilitation. Alanna Webster told the Herald- dent, “No one said survivable. Her “By the time we left Atlanta, she Citizen. “Jody (Alanna’s husband) heart function was severely de- could sit with some support. She or my dad handed her to me. She pressed.” could eat and drink,” Alanna said. went limp in my arms and turned Alanna said, “The cardiologist Since then, Brynna has continued blue. We called 911. Jody’s sister didn’t hold much hope.” to make positive progress. did CPR. “We were going up to say good- “Since we got home, she’s Lindsay McReynolds | Herald-Citizen “The paramedics came and took bye,” Jody recalled of the days im- learned to sit, crawl, stand,” Two-year-old Brynna Webster smiles in the lap us to the helipad and straight to Er- mediately following Brynna’s of her mother, Alanna Webster, following a langer,” said Alanna, whose home accident during which she was See TODDLER, Page 2 lengthy recovery from a traumatic brain injury. Anvil Cookeville baseball closes County to fall training with annual event /B1 Home for Christmas consider Living property purchase By LINDSAY McREYNOLDS HERALD-CITIZEN Staff PUTNAM COUNTY — Put- nam County commissioners will consider purchasing properties on Southfork Road and Hulon Ferrell Road for a total of $94,100 when they meet next Festive hikes week following a recommenda- Edgar Evins plans New tion from the commission’s fiscal Year’s Day hikes /A8 review committee Monday night. The 30.3 acres of property on Southfork Road in Baxter is next to the old county landfill, and the Nation planning committee recom- mended that a portion of that property be used for training and a shooting range for the sheriff’s department. “They’ve been trying to come up with place to put their shoot- ing range,” Porter said. “The closest house is a half mile away.” Sheriff Eddie Farris told com- missioners, “We’ve never had a shooting range. We’re glad to get Threats a place.” The remainder of the property is Schools closed in LA and expected to be used as a buffer NYC /A5 zone for the landfill, according to Putnam County Executive Randy Ty Kernea | Herald-Citizen Porter. Santa greets the Richards family — Crystal with her son Taylor and daughter MacKenzie — at the dedication cer- “The state had recommended Index emony of their new home through Habitat for Humanity. This is the 71st home built in the Putnam County com- munity. See BUY, Page 2 Abby............................A8 Calendar......................A6 Crossword ...................A9 Living ..........................A8 Obituaries ...................A7 New Baxter James Holland Irene Gibson Charles Mott commemorative Dillard Dycus Charles Henry James Murphy knives available Daniel Desserich Willie Hargis By MEGAN TROTTER with those words, as well as the years Lorene Ashburn HERALD-CITIZEN Staff 1915-2015. They are being sold for $15. Opinion.......................A4 The second is a little more intricate, BAXTER — Knife collectors will be with two blades. The first reads “Baxter Sports ..........................B1 happy to hear that the Baxter Visitors Visitors Center, Established in 2013,” Sudoku ........................A9 Center has just released two new limited while the second has an image of a loco- Weather ......................A2 edition knives to their collection. motive and the text “Baxter Depot, 1904- “The knives have been pretty popular,” 1967” inscribed. Those knives are being said June Lewis, director of the visitors sold for $30. Megan Trotter | Herald-Citizen center. “People have been really inter- The knives are being made by Baxter ested in them.” resident Gerald Myatt, who has been Looking at the new Baxter commemorative knives are, from left, Sue Neal, The first celebrates the 100th anniver- Friends of the Depot; June Lewis, visitors center director; Alderman Jeff sary of the City of Baxter. It is engraved See BAXTER, Page 2 Herald; and Mayor Jeff Wilhite. A-2 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Wednesday, December 16, 2015 LOCAL READER SERVICES Fugitive apprehended in Monterey By TRACEY HACKETT terey, was taken into custody by the Mon- edly intentionally fled from the state of Putnam County Sheriff’s Department Contact us: HERALD-CITIZEN Staff terey Police Department yesterday. Arizona with the intent to avoid prosecu- made contact with an officer from the Address: According to reports, Monterey Police tion there for that offense, making him a Faulkner County Sheriff’s Department, COOKEVILLE — A felony fugitive Officer Jerry Clark received information fugitive from justice. who stated that the Arizona agency would 1300 Neal St. wanted on charges in Faulkner County, about the fugitive. Information filed in According to Officer Clark’s report, the be willing to extradite. Upon being appre- Cookeville, Tenn. Arizona, was arrested yesterday in Mon- September this year alleges a determina- fugitive was discovered after he failed to hended, Banet was transported to the Put- terey. tion of probable cause that Banet commit- appear in Putnam County General Ses- nam County Jail. He is scheduled to appear Mailing Address: Justin G. Banet, 22, whose address is ted a violation of probation on a previous sions Court for an offense he had acquired in general sessions court today to begin the listed as Standing Stone Drive in Mon- second degree battery offense. He report- here. A communications officer for the extradition process. P.O. Box 2729 Cookeville TN 38502 Phone: 931-526-9715 Fax: 931-526-1209 TODDLER: Email: Girl recovers News [email protected] Sports from brain [email protected] Advertising [email protected] injury Living [email protected] From Page 1 Circulation [email protected] Alanna said. Business News Brynna is still working to improve [email protected] through physical therapy and occupa- Church News tional therapy at Theraplay in [email protected] Cookeville and speech therapy at School News Cookeville Regional Medical Center. [email protected] “I think more and more of her person- Classified Ads ality is coming back,” Alanna said. [email protected] “Patients with brain injury can be irri- table. She’s been more mellow.” Several people and organizations have Letter Guidelines also helped support the Webster family during Brynna’s hospitalization. All letters to the editor must “When we were at Erlanger, we be signed and include the stayed at the Ronald McDonald writer’s name, address and House,” Jody said. “It was the nicest phone number. Letters are hotel room, a place where you could subject to editing and/or re- get away and take a breath.” jection. A strict 400-word limit will be enforced. Send letters Jody’s parents cared for the couple’s to the mailing address listed four other children, Ben, 9; Taylor, 7; above, or email to Megan Trotter | Herald-Citizen Elyse, 6; and Gracyn, 4, while Alanna’s mom stayed in Chattanooga with Jody, [email protected]. The knife commemorating the Baxter Visitors Center/Depot. Alanna and Brynna. “She’s always been the baby that they Order a Photo (siblings) dote on,” said Alanna of Brynna and her siblings. “It’s more so Every photograph taken by a now that she’s home.” Herald-Citizen photographer Alanna’s friends also donated breast and published in the paper is milk to Brynna, who was fed through a available for purchase. Go to feeding tube in the hospital, while www.herald-citizen.com and click on “Photo Gallery.” Alanna pumped to feed her daughter as well. “She was eating 40 ounces a day,” Alanna said. “I have a whole new re- Subscriptions spect for pumping moms. It’s exhaust- To subscribe, call 931-526- ing.” 9715. Visa, MasterCard and When asked if Jody and Alanna be- Discover accepted. lieve the breast milk aided in Brynna’s Rates: steady recovery, Alanna said, “I’m sure 3 mo 6 mo 1yr the breast milk helped her stomach. It’s Carrier or brain supporting.” Mail: 385 Jody said, “I had seen online isolated Zip Code $28 $54 $95 Print & studies where those who used breast E-Edition $29 $56 $98 milk had significant improvement. It’s Anywhere Only not really tested. We figured it didn’t E-Edition $21 $42 $84 hurt.” Mail: Outside Many agree that Brynna’s steady re- 385 Zip $49 $85 $143 Megan Trotter | Herald-Citizen covery is nothing less than a miracle.